Moonbreeze (Legolas x OC)

Part 13

The elf Ithilae seeks seems to have misplaced himself for the moment, or is eluding her. In his stead she runs into a hobbit. The direction Frodo came from leaves little to guess for her.

"You have looked into the mirror." she states as he gazes up at her, his eyes wide. She wonders what he has seen, though she may guess.

He nods, hesitating before speaking, "I was advised to speak with you." he tells her, making her raise a brow before nodding, knowing what it must be about.

"I understand. Follow me and I tell you what you wish to know." she says, motioning him to walk with her.

After a moment, they reach a quiet path and although Frodo appears slightly tense, he does not back away from finding out what he wishes to know. "The One Ring... You know it well I was told. The Lady Galadriel, she told me your fate was bound to it. What does she mean by that?" he questions, making her halt.

She turns to him, not standing too near to make him too uncomfortable as she prepares to tell him. If the Lady wishes for her to share this with the hobbit, she must know it will help him somehow. And that is what Ithilae is there for she considers.

"Long ago in another age, this Ring was created by Sauron, who called himself Annatar at the time, to hold the power to dominate the other rings created. The Nine Rings of Men and The Seven Rings of the Dwarves were already forged by him... and my grandfather." she reveals, making his eyes widen.

"Sauron deceived him to make them alongside him, because my grandfather was known to be a great smith, just like his ancestors before him. But while making them he incorporated this binding magic on them. He was not present however when my grandfather forged The Three Rings of the Elves, one which you must have seen on the Lady Galadriel herself."

"When Sauron made his betrayal clear, my grandfather tried to hide the Rings from him. He sent them away. His daughter, my mother has brought Nenya to this forest herself."

"After fighting to safe his city, though in vain, my grandfather was captured. Sauron tortured him into giving away the locations of the Rings. He found all, safe for The Three Rings of the Elves. Unspoiled by Sauron they remained. After that, he killed my grandfather." she explains.

Frodo looks up at her wide-eyed, drinking in the information given to him. "There is more... isn't there?" he wonders after a moment.

Ithilae nods in confirmation. "My grandfather never got to leave for the undying lands, not after the way he was betrayed and the way his life was ended. Also, the One Ring still remains and as long as it does, his guilt keeps him bound to it and to myself. I will not be able to lead a life for myself as long as it is not destroyed. I will always have him with me." she finishes explaining in a solemn voice.

Frodo looks to her for another long moment in silence before realization dawns on him. "I thought I could sense something different about you from the moment we met; a presence as ancient as the Lady of the Woods herself I now realize. Your grandfather really is still here..." he speaks, though mostly to himself.

"Can he hear me? Can he see me?" he asks.

Ithilae nods. "You can see him as well, if he so wishes, or if you put on the Ring, although I do not recommend that."

The hobbit looks to be in wonder. "Is it possible I meet him? I do not wish to push, but he is someone so close to the origins of the Ring, I feel as if it would help me greatly."

"I suppose that is the Lady's intend." Celebrimbor speaks as he appears before Frodo, who takes a step back in fright. It is no wonder; Celebrimbor very much resemble the wraiths that are hunting the hobbit.

"I am Celebrimbor and I commend you for your bravery Halfling. Though I feel saddened to see you burdened with a disaster that I failed to prevent from being made. If I had the ability, I would cast it into Mount Doom myself." he says, getting on one knee before the hobbit.

Frodo smiles sadly, feeling no danger coming from the wraith before him. "I'm not that brave as I appear to you. I'm afraid. I'm so very frightened by what is yet to come." he admits, looking down shamefully.

Celebrimbor nods sympathetically. "If you were not afraid, I would have called you a fool. But you are not alone." he assures Frodo.

Frodo looks up after a moment, question in his gaze as his eyes fall on Ithilae. "I have been wondering, ever since the council, why you did not take it upon yourself to take the Ring..."

She understands what he means as she recalls how she held the Ring with her grandfather's aid.

"It is because I too am afraid, more than I have cared to admit to anyone, even myself. I fear to fall under its spell and do Sauron's bidding, the one I hate so much. It would ruin me if I ever find myself doing anything that works to his hand." she tells him, a frown etched upon her brow. "The thought alone makes me feel sick."

Frodo too frowns; uncertain now that he learned that one of the people he has come to look up to holds such deep-rooted fears. It is like one by one; the pillars of his foundation are being pulled from underneath him.

"I will be honest with you Frodo; I never did used to have much regard for Halflings and I did ask for the Ring to be taken from you before it was too late to do so. I did not believe that you could play part in its destruction... But, although I'm not sure if you should be happy with it, I have changed my opinion on you. You are strong and if anyone can see it done, I believe it to be you." she says with conviction.

Frodo lowers his gaze in humility. The weight of her words press heavily on him, and yes, he is not happy with the compliment. He wished for her to take the wretched thing away from her, that is, until he could not find himself being able to part from it. When he offered it to Galadriel and she rejected it, it was the last effort he could bare.

"I am very sorry Frodo, that I could not aid you like you wished me to. And I apologize that you have to face so much peril because of it." Ithilae says, squatting down before Frodo and taking his hands in hers.

Frodo shakes his head, smiling sadly again. "I only hope that I can meet the expectations set upon me."

Ithilae and Celebrimbor say no more. Ithilae only leans in to place a kiss on his forehead to convey her grief for him before ushering him to return to the company with her and sleep.

Finally some more background on Ithilae. Let me know what you think.